Roscommon-Galway TD Claire Kerrane has urged the Government to engage with Sinn Féin’s Charter for Family Carers which was launched by the party in April.
The call comes following the publication of a new report showing the frightening impact of COVID-19 on carers.
The report published by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland shows Family Carers are under ‘enormous strain’ as a consequence of the impacts of the pandemic.
Deputy Kerrane said that the report is yet another plea for help from Family Carers.
“While the report focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of those living with dementia, it also found Family Carers to be at breaking point. It notes that carers’ mental and physical wellbeing has been seriously affected by the pandemic,” she said.
“Carers have been isolated since COVID hit in March last year, they were left without respite and without Day Services, both which they depend on for support.”
The Sinn Féin TD said the report mirrors what Family Carers said when her party engaged with them directly while developing their Charter for Family Carers.
“At the end of March, we brought forward a Dáil Motion on Caring for Carers which called for improvements in income supports, the introduction of emotional supports, and prioritisation in the Covid vaccine roll-out as well as in the resumption of Day Services and a doubling of expenditure for critical respite,” added Deputy Kerrane.
“This Motion was passed. The Government now need to act. The findings of this report should be sounding alarm bells in Government – Ireland’s 500,000 Family Carers need support; they have been devastated by Covid-19 and they have been failed by Government inaction.”
